Xmas shoppers flock to Chinatown

While there may not be the usual rush for toys and gifts this year, shoppers in Port of Spain seem to be gravitating to Charlotte Street, renamed Chinatown, to get last-minute presents this year.

Large crowds could be seen in stores and around street vendors on the busy street known for its inexpensive product alternatives.

While there may not have been a lot of foot traffic in other areas on Tuesday, long lines of bumper-to-bumper traffic slowly snaked through the city.

Just a few days shy of Christmas, last-minute shoppers appeared to target a few textile stores such as Jimmy Aboud and Mode Alive where a few people were seen huddled around the entrance waiting to be let into the already crowded stores.

A toy store on Queen Street advertising a 12 Days of Discounts sale also had several parents, some with their children, buying toys.

“And they say people don’t have any money,” said one passer-by as she saw the crowd in the store.

Most other retailers along Frederick, Queen and Henry Streets did not appear to have too many shoppers inside. The pavements were also bare as most of the congestion appeared to be caused by vehicles.